Just tried something I've never done before on a springer.... and it worked !

[crowbar]

And I read on they are only fit for gate closers

[TonyL]

So, we have the resurgence of the mighty Ox. Next? The comeback of the leather seal and then experimentation with PTFE?

[maximus]

I have a few in my bag of springs and have installed them when experimenting with guns. In my experience they are not as stiff as they look. They have quite a small pitch between the coils which helps.

[T 20]

And I read they are only fit for gate closers

When someone writes that it always tells me more about the author than the spring.



All the best Mick

[GS747]

I have used a couple while waiting for other springs to be delivered.They seemed to do the job in the intrim.

[BTDT]

When someone writes that it always tells me more about the author than the spring.

Too right it does, Mick. It tells me they've got a garden gate, for a start, and suggests they've got a dog they don't want to escape through the open gate.

As for the infamous OX, I think they probably got a bad reputation from being fitted into inappropriate airguns in which, for various reasons, they scraped against the inside of the piston and/or made the rifle horribly oversprung.

Although not an OX, I had a square section (but with rounded corners) Helston spring in my HW77 for around 20 years with no issues.

[ashf9999]

Previously I fitted them to a couple of Omegas (with no issues), but stopped when changing one out and the replacement Ox seemingly was slightly oversized (too long, wouldn't cock). It was in the correct packet, but I never bothered to check the overall length at the time or chop it down, so just removed it and fitted a (then available) Webley original. As has been noted on this and previous threads, if the spring is correctly sized for the gun then an Ox or otherwise will do the job (ignoring benefits or otherwise of cross section shape, steel type etc). I'm sure people wouldn't still buy them if they were that detrimental to a gun.

[gsxrman]

Suppose it depends, whether ya like ya power plant long soft and floppy, or short, thick and stiff.
Both work, just different and different guns suit a different power plant.

[T 20]

Too right it does, Mick. It tells me they've got a garden gate, for a start, and suggests they've got a dog they don't want to escape through the open gate.

Or sheep, Jim.

My mate Crazy Kev who did the catering at the Boinger Bashes used to live in a mid terrace house and had a flock of sheep in his large back garden.
When I asked how he'd got the sheep into his garden he said "in the front door, through the lounge and out through the patio doors --- and he still wonders why his wife at the time left him.



All the best Mick

[capt hindsight]

Has any one else had a satisfactory experience with an Ox ? They couldn't have been that bad unless they are only suited to some situations.

Yes, I put one of the regular ones straight out the packet into my .22 Gamo 3000. Changed the seals at same time.

It does 11.5 ft/lbs with only around 6fps variation.

It twangs a bit and I've been tempted to sleeve the spring, but the chrony results are so good I just decided to leave it alone.

[El Garro]

Ox springs work ok in some guns.
They don't come into contact with the cylinders or all the other stuff of the horror stories.
I've not heard of them breaking either.
There are better springs but I reckon the Ox gets a fair bit of undue flack.

[evert]

The two square wire springs I've pulled from guns both seemed to have inflicted damage to the guns - but theres no way of telling if the springs did the damage, or something the previous owners of the guns did.

One was from a Supersport, which had a broken sear. This may not have been the spring, as there was other damage to the gun to, obviously inflicted by someone who didn't know what they were doing.

The other one was more directly connected to the spring - an Osprey where the holes for the rear block pin and for the trigger and sear pins had been ovalled by too much spring pressure.

But as people have stated, someone installing a too long or too stiff in a gun isnt the springs fault.

[robs5230]

Fitted correctly, for the right application, there's nowt wrong with a square section spring.

But a badly installed square section spring can cause some horrific damage to the inside of a cylinder. Generally as a result of too much preload, and a badly supported spring.

I had a FWB127 in, that I was asked to service a few months ago, that was chewed up so badly, internally, by the poorly fitted spring, it was scrapped and broken for parts.
As soon as the spring moves anywhere out of true, on compression, the edges will simply dig in and scour the cylinder. This also occurs with round section springs, but as they have no flats / corners on the coils, they tend to do far less damage.

[T 20]

Fitted correctly, for the right application, there's nowt wrong with a square section spring.

But a badly installed square section spring can cause some horrific damage to the inside of a cylinder. Generally as a result of too much preload, and a badly supported spring.

I had a FWB127 in, that I was asked to service a few months ago, that was chewed up so badly, internally, by the poorly fitted spring, it was scrapped and broken for parts.
As soon as the spring moves anywhere out of true, on compression, the edges will simply dig in and scour the cylinder. This also occurs with round section springs, but as they have no flats / corners on the coils, they tend to do far less damage.

I normally machine a well fitting 316 Stainless Steel Spring guide when using a square section Spring and instead of putting a taper on the front end I put a radius.

As you say though Rob, any make of Spring which is too long or too wide for the application will cause problems, but thankfully I've not had any to date.




All the best Mick

[maz001471]

Has any one else had a satisfactory experience with an Ox ? They couldn't have been that bad unless they are only suited to some situations.

Yes, I got an ox in my hw98 0.22 and it works very nicely, super smooth and also has a sleeve and guide fitted.